1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a missile for discharge towards a target, comprising a power source, an explosive charge, a release unit, a sensor means adapted to influence the release unit in response to certain conditions appearing during the flight of the missile towards the target, and a plurality of explosive elements which have their own power source, explosive charge, detonator unit and sensor means, and which under the influence of the release unit are separated from the missile and independently thereof approach the target for under certain conditions senses by the sensor means to detonate individually at a desired distance from the target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Target-aimed missiles may for example be discharged as a projectile by means of a gun so as to attain such a velocity that they approach the intended targets via desired ballistic paths. The missiles may possibly be fired from a launching pad and they will then comprise a rocket or other suitable propelling means which follows the missile and imposes thereonto the propulsion necessary for achieving a predetermined trajectory.
Such missiles are usually equipped with a device which at a certain point of the trajectory generates a signal which gives rise to detonation of the explosive charge of the missile in proximity of the target. The point of detonation is preferably chosen so as to make the explosion effect of the missile as efficient as possible, and if the parameters of the trajectory are known, this point may for example be determined by means of a timer means which generates a detonation signal at a certain time after launching. Alternatively, the point of detonation may be determined by means of a device which senses how far the missile is from the target, and which generates a signal which gives rise to detonation when the missile is closer to the target than a distance corresponding to a predetermined measurable value. Such a device can for example work according to the Doppler-principle.
Aside from trying to achieve an optimum explosion effect in such missiles by determining the most favourable point of detonation relative to the target, it has also been suggested to use missiles comprising a series of small pieces or fragments which encircle the explosion charge, and which when the missile is detonated, are scattered and thrown against the target with great force.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,833 there is known a missile comprising a fragmentary explosive head which, when fired, propels the fragments in a forward direction towards the target. The missile releases each head either after a predetermined interval from launching or when in range of the target, for tangential separation from each other while retaining their aimed orientation so that the fragments of one head will not interfere with fragments fired from other heads and so that a wide target area will be covered by the fragments of these several heads. In a specific embodiment of plurality of forward firing heads are fired by a proximity fuse after having been released from the missile.